extra armor would be better than health, not to metnion energy usually isn't a problem.

rentauri

03-11-2006, 22:47

Same here but since I never see them I wouldnt know. Energy I chose simply because I play the support-type paragon and you never know when extra energy is useful.

Aiiane

03-11-2006, 22:49

Radiant (+energy) insignia has to be the most overrated insignia in the game. In anything over a 15-second fight duration or so, the amount of energy you use will far outpace your maximum energy - energy regeneration dominates over energy capacity in determining your casting capabilities. In effect, additional max energy only gives you a small boost at the start of the fight, whereas armor gives you a boost over the duration, and health is a constantly available buffer for spike damage.

Essentially, for the most part Radiant insignia is a nice way to distract those who don't understand the regen mechanic from the better options, so the prices on the rest stay low. :tongue:

against

03-11-2006, 22:56

Radiant (+energy) insignia has to be the most overrated insignia in the game. In anything over a 15-second fight duration or so, the amount of energy you use will far outpace your maximum energy - energy regeneration dominates over energy capacity in determining your casting capabilities. In effect, additional max energy only gives you a small boost at the start of the fight, whereas armor gives you a boost over the duration, and health is a constantly available buffer for spike damage.

Essentially, for the most part Radiant insignia is a nice way to distract those who don't understand the regen mechanic from the better options, so the prices on the rest stay low. :tongue:

So is that a vote for +Health? ;/

Aiiane

03-11-2006, 22:58

So is that a vote for +Health? ;/

It's a vote for anything but +energy. So if you dislike any other insignia besides +health, then yes. Personally, in the long run I find armor bonuses are generally the most beneficial, but to each their own.

Sitting Sock

03-11-2006, 23:12

You only need health if you're planning to use superior rune(s). Otherwise I'd definetly go with +armour, a vigor rune and minors attributes. I can only speak for myself, but I rarely run a build where there's less than three chants/shouts, and it's very rare I find I'm out of energy at 10 leadership in 8player missions. Thinking about it: getting +e just allows you to do a couple of moves more before you run out, because the ceiling has been moved up. That's all allright if fights will be over within the minute mark like mostly the first half of the missions in all three campaigns, but after that what you might consider doing instead is looking for options for energy management making sure you stay active the whole way through :)

Right now I have Survivor on my chest and the rest are +armour under shout/chant/echo, supplemented by minor runes and a major vigor. That keeps my health above average meaning I won't draw aggro as the weak link into the backline, but I can still take punishment when I do get attention ^^

Spatzimaus

04-11-2006, 01:11

Radiant (+energy) insignia has to be the most overrated insignia in the game.

I have to disagree, to an extent... take Rangers, for instance. With a high Expertise (12-13), the energy cost of the Ranger skills is cut in half. Effectively, then, a +2 energy boost acts more like +4 would to someone else. The Radiant insignias (or the Druid's armor before them) really start to add up.

And what about all those support caster classes? If your Monk only does PvE, he simply won't be taking that many hits. The other insignia buff AR (except Survivor, which is +HP), and do you REALLY need more of that? So I can easily see him going the +Energy route, especially for certain secondaries. An Elementalist doesn't need it, but I suppose Mesmers could use it too (especially with so many 10-15 cost spells/hexes).

But in a Paragon's case, the obvious choice is the "+10 armor while under shout, chant, or echo". I mean really, when are you NOT under one of those? Having 90 armor across the board, for a class that doesn't need to fight in melee range, gives insane survivability in my experience (just hit 20 with my P/R... hey, I wanted a pet flamingo, nothing else).

waywrong

04-11-2006, 02:59

Sometimes Radiant has it's uses, it's not the "n00b" choice as you seem to have suggested. Many classes, especially hex heavy classes need to frontload a lot of casting, and then they can chill out and spam lower energy spells and recharge. A necro that needs to cast a bunch of curses at the beginning of battle, for example, 2xSS is 30 energy, not counting the energy you have yet to gain back from pre-casting Arcane Echo, then Reckless Haste, is another 10, then maybe another SS. But after all that is done, most of the casting stops, so the necro can regen energy. And his/her e-management doesn't kick in until the end of battle. Having the bonus energy from Radiant really helps you frontload a spell or two more, until that first mob dies.

Dark Wolf

04-11-2006, 04:21

I'd pick energy. Paragons having 80 armor and staying in the back, they don't need extra armor. In the other hand, more energy allow them to cast more offensive and/or defensive spells/skills since their energy regen very slowly.

Agyar

04-11-2006, 04:47

At the moment with the market for Insignias, I've got my 15k Sunspear with HP bonuses, primarily because it's a decent insignia that I could get my hands on (found two, bought two at the trader, bought one from a player).

Energy, I have to agree with an earlier poster that energy management is > having a slightly higher base energy pool. In a longer fight it won't make any different bar one extra cast at the beginning. Also with a high Leadership score, energy management for a shout-based support Paragon is pretty easy. That said I am using a +5 energy spear (pre-order spear).

If there's an insignia for +10 armour while under the effects of a shout/chant, I might eventually replace my HP insignias with that, but for the moment, HP is great for spending ~1k.

Tinnic

04-11-2006, 06:59

I choose energy as well. Even though I have P/W it's unlikely I'll be asked to tank in any situation where the extra health will be needed. I do however plan to do a little tanking as soon as my brother let's me "borrow" one of his many, many, many warrior items ^.^

Lilanthe

04-11-2006, 07:17

I chose the +10 armor while under a chant or shout.

There isn't alot of costy spells in the Paragon skill line, and like it has been said, with high leadership, energy is the last of your troubles. The only thing it could be useful for is for secondary caster profession... monk for instance. I have 35 energy, and its more than I need.

I've also always seen the +35hp to be not that useful. I don't really understand why now its selling like crazy when not alot of people were using the +health armors in Factions. Mostly the +armor and +energy were used.

Yeah, Paragons stays in the back... but I feel alot more safer with a constant +10 armor since I always have a chant on me.

against

04-11-2006, 07:53

I don't like the +Armor while Under a Chant. I don't like any of the situational armor bonuses for any class. I guess I'm just going to get 2 sets of armor. +Health for when I'm more offensive with fewer Shouts/Chants and +Energy for when I'm Chant-heavy. Problem solved.

hendryx

04-11-2006, 14:44

I voted for health, since I find the killer for my Paragon tends to be the same as it was for my Warrior - heath degen spells.

And +energy insignia's do have a nice use. Just try finding yourself dead a view times with a nice DP and then try casting your 25 energy skill which you can't since, even when full, you don't have the energy required for it.

Healia Exe

04-11-2006, 15:05

Health for me, as I mainly use adrenaline skills, and only 1 or 2 support skills.

teh Monkeys

04-11-2006, 16:50

Health, to make up for the superior rune I use most of the time.

Extra energy is not necesarry when you have decent leadership and spammable shouts.

JoeKnowMo

06-11-2006, 01:52

It all depends on how u like to play ur paragon. If you want to go melee or be a spearagon, then armor is your best bet.

If you like to stay in the back and mainly use shouts, chants and spells, then energy will come in handy. I might go this route, since I've been trying to use staffs and spells/spirits for fun.

The health insignia is useful against degen, but I prefer the other two over it.

Goldfish God

06-11-2006, 02:00

I usually plonk for energy in case I start using secondaries which use high energy skills, and it's quite helpful versus annoying e-denial mobs.

waywrong

06-11-2006, 03:38

against e-denial mobs you're not going to have any energy anyway if you're being targeted. Getting targeted by multiple roar ethers means you won't be doing much any time soon, no matter how much energy you have (unless you are an elementalist and have ridiculous amounts). The best way to counter energy denial is energy hiding, not energy insignias.